Disclaimer: All characters from the series Inuyasha that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own anything in regards to their creation; I have Rumiko Takahashi to thank for that.

Author's Notes: Hi, everyone! Sorry for being late but it's my pleasure to announce that this will serve as the last chapter for this arc. Here's hoping that I've done my job in explaining how the circumstances involving Sesshomaru and Kikyo ended up the way that they are now and why the former is the way that he is now – a cold-hearted daiyoukai who strived to become the True Ruler.

To fabelliot, Yaneth Suarez, 8579, Guest, Guest, InuHannya, Freeh, AnotherLazyChic, and Guest, I thank you all for your support, comments, and encouragement. All your feedbacks are the fuel to motivate me to continue my writing.

fabelliot: I hadn't meant to torment Sesshomaru and Kikyo but we all know that things had to have gone south for the present to be now this. Tsubaki has always been very cunning and sly and she would resort to any means to get what she wants, both here and in canon. Everything flipped so suddenly and like Sesshomaru, we can all curse Tsubaki for it.

Yaneth Suarez: I'm flattered that you think my fic qualifies as one of the best SessKik works. Yes, The Path to Destiny by Pure Power is a masterpiece! It's amazing! Not to mention that it has recently been revived! I'm so pleased to hear that you were first introduced to the shipper via that story and you eventually found yourself wandering to other fics including mine. Moreover, I'm elated that you're planning on spreading the wonders that is SessKik to other people in your country. Having more fans, and therefore acknowledgment, of this phenomenal shipping would be a dream come true! I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavor to share SessKik works around!

8579: Thank you. I'm pleased to hear that you like the way I write the two and their interactions. It's a boost of confidence. Here's the next chapter and may it live up to your excited expectation. ;)

Guest: Thank you! It always gives me great satisfaction and confidence to know that there are readers who like my story. Well, the conversation that you're looking for is actually in the next arc (coming up soon) so I'll have to ask for your patience still. If my draft stays as it is, then I believe chapter 38 is the one to look out for.

Guest: Yep, we're hitting the climax as this arc ties things together. Tsubaki is laughing manically as she executes her scheme. Kikyo is dangling on a thread between life and death. And Sesshomaru is absolutely livid at himself and at the kuro miko.

InuHannya: Hello there, nice to meet you. I'm thrilled to hear that you liked the world-building of this story. Yep, plenty more interactions for SessKik in the present coming up in the next arc. Thank you for your support, though I'm not too sure what those links are meant to be.

Freeh: Haha, Sesshomaru's mother is always a delight to write. I always feel like she has a bundle of personality hidden beneath that impassive features. I figure the Inu no Taisho would be the most eager to add Kikyo into their family but even the Inukimi can't deny that having Kikyo as her daughter-in-law will be fun.

Regarding the accidental fall that Kikyo had, she probably would have loved nothing more to pretend that it hadn't happened. Fortunately for her, Sesshomaru didn't feel like making a wry comment when there were other pertaining matters to talk about. But he might bring it up one day if he ever finds himself debating why boots are much better footwear than sandals.

Yes, much to Sesshomaru's distress, Kikyo will literally leap into the scorching fire just for the chance to save someone. Though in Rin's case, it was very fortunate here. Sesshomaru and Kikyo are like total opposites when it comes to the principle of saving, lol!

The Inu no Taisho's death is sad but necessary as it's a big part of Sesshomaru's character. It's worth noting that there is a subconscious part of Sesshomaru that believes his father had 'abandoned' him and his mother. This is prominent during the moments when he had found Izayoi and Inuyasha in the village.

Poor Jaken gets the short end of the stick in terms of being memorable in this story, unfortunately. I mean I could have included him in the group during Sesshomaru and Kikyo's travels but the situation did not call for a comedic relief character as he is most known for.

Oohh, I know. Kikyo in that armor is the epitome of a splendid warrior princess. Personally, I love that design too (that movie is my fav out of the four) and (not really a spoiler but) I'm looking for the perfect opportunity to have Kikyo in the same getup in this story.

Onigumo (Naraku) got lucky because Sesshomaru had agreed to refrain from killing people from the east… which doesn't include sparing Inuyasha since the infant wasn't classified under that category. But eventually, Izayoi made him see a reason for keeping his half-brother alive. Who knows, maybe Inuyasha's baby charms did work to a certain degree. ;)

As for whether or not Sara will make a future appearance, well, only time will tell.

Rin believes wholeheartedly that Sesshomaru should have joined in their family dinner as the father. So when he decides to chill outside in the woods all alone, she encouraged Kikyo to feed him, lol.

Thank you for all of your feedback. I enjoyed going through all of them and seeing what your thoughts are.

AnotherLazyChic: Pleased to make your acquaintance, new reader! It's awesome to hear from another lover of SessKik. Sesshomaru is in love, even if he won't fully acknowledge and admit it to the public.

Guest: Here's the next chap! Enjoy!

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(This chapter was betaread by bubu-chibi-chan).

Chapter 36-Kako-hen: A Future without You

A future without you

is a future without meaning

I'll never let go of you again.

The world I see with you

is a world I've never seen before

We travel across time and space on a distant journey

-Kimi ga Inai Mirai (The Final Act Opening Song)

No words could come close to describing what he felt.

Having let her bow clatter onto the ground, St. Hijiri's fingers clawed at his hand, her fingernails creating dents in his skin in desperate perseverance. Yet, it was all for naught. Against his superior strength, her legs continued to dangle in the air as she struggled with each intake of precious oxygen.

He could only watch, his usual layer of coldness swept away by the torrents of concern, indignity, and frustration. Even as his brain rebooted from the sudden and intrusive force that had invaded his body, he wrestled with the idea that he was being forced to hurt her.

That witch – it was that damned despicable witch's doing. Between Mt. Hakurei weakening his powers and having been foolishly caught unaware, a split second was all it took for her to somehow seize control of his body. It did not matter how strong his fortitude was, he was not the one steering his actions anymore.

He nearly bristled in barely suppressed rage when the witch studied them in contempt, her lips parted in a sneer. "My, how reckless of you to use an attack of such magnitude. Ah, that being said, you seem to lack your usual precision. Did his interference startle you that much? So much that you risk having everyone in the vicinity suffer?"

Sesshomaru's wrath detonated. He whipped his head around and snarled. In that instant, he wished nothing more than to have his claw wrapped around the kuro miko instead, to crush her airway so that she would be forever silenced.

Tsubaki flinched at the apoplectic intensity being showcased in his expression. Nonetheless, being an exorcist of demons, she was not easily deterred and recovered fast.

"You're stubborn, demon spawn. Your body is mine to do as I please and yet you wish to resist me with your will alone. It really is quite pitiful." A devilish smirk appeared on her features. "Surrender to the blessed oblivion I can grant you. So long as the Beads of Subjugation are on you, you will be compelled to serve me as a puppet. If I tell you to kill her, you will."

Despite it not being a direct order, Sesshomaru still felt his right arm twitched and was pulled back. A greenish haze began to enshroud his claw as his body gathered youki around his fingertips. Any soldier that served him would be able to instantly recognize it as one of his signature moves. Dokkasou – a bare-handed technique where the slightest touch would be able to liquefy individuals. It did not matter if they had the toughest hide or were donned in the most durable armor, his poison would reduce them to an unrecognizable heap. There would only be one unfavorable outcome if the corrosive nature of his venom were to touch skin as soft as Hijiri's.

'Stop!' His mind assembled all the willpower he had but was instantly met with an oppressive force. The pain was so insufferable that he lost consciousness for a fraction of a second. Ignoring the nauseating migraine with a growl, he fought harder as the rosary flashed angrily around his neck, pulsing in sync with his quickened heartbeats.

The mental tug of war kept both his limbs suspended. Try as he might, he could not loosen his hold on the saint. While the grip was fortunately inadequate to snap her neck, it was slowly limiting her access to oxygen.

At this rate, she was going to be—

Lifelessly staring at him.

Him, alone.

Gone. All of them, gone.

—And her blood would be on his hands.

"Your pointless resistance is beginning to bore me," the kuro miko muttered, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. "My pet dog, your new master orders you to kill your beloved saint now!"

'No!' His irises bled red when he felt his claw compressed, prompting a choked noise to escape Hijiri. As crimson screened his view, he saw her straightening an arm to inch painstakingly towards him. With a frantic assumption that actions not contradicting the given order were possible, he testily bent his elbow and managed to provide her with a shorter reach.

There was a tingling sensation as her fingertips brushed against his cheek. Sensing her accumulated energy, he braced himself and was puzzled when nothing happened. The realization was quick to hit him and he would have scoffed if not for the circumstances. 'Foolish woman, it is not my safety that should be of your concern.'

"Strike." The word was barely cohesive as he articulated it. His throat was raw, like he was being throttled by an invisible noose wrapped around his neck.

Her hand curled around the beads. For a fraction of a second, a petty part of him noted the feasibility of her pulling on the neckwear and choking him in retaliation. The puerile idea was disabused the instant her discharged power appeared as crackling purple lightning.

The energy zapped the accursed artifact, causing it to overload and become still. Just as sudden as they had appeared, the daiyoukai felt the meta-parasitic chains vanish, even as the rosary stayed on his neck as a humiliating reminder of what had transpired.

Akin to having picked up red hot iron, Sesshomaru let go of the saint. Unbridled rage guided his arm. It sliced through the air in a blur and sent a surge of repressing youki at the culprit. The demonic energy manifested itself like a ruthless backhand. Tsubaki's cheekbone caved and she was launched into the air, spinning like a top. Ramming face-first into the dirt, she laid there with a pained groan.

Sesshomaru was instantly eye-leveled with Hijiri, uncaring that the right knee of his white hakama was touching dirt. His pair of golden orbs shimmered while she gingerly massaged her neck. A droplet of blood could be seen leaking from between her fingers, originating from where there was a rip in her clothing. Much to his relief, the injury did not seem deep and—

—then he noticed the red marks that were visible from the exposed skin and was reminded that it did not take much to kill a human.

'To begin with, she should not have been hurt. Yet…' The sensation that gnawed his insides was overwhelming. Considering the circumstances, one could effortlessly argue that the culprit was Tsubaki. Nevertheless, Sesshomaru was a warrior who never shrunk behind anything, let alone excuses. The kuro miko might be the instigator but he was the one who had wounded her using his claw.

If only his will had been stronger. For the first time, he found himself taking his psyche's growth in precedence over raw power. The macabre notions emerged again – had he been less willful, then St. Hijiri would have most likely been dead.

Times like this demanded a verbal apology or an expression of concern. He was faintly aware that was what anyone else would have, and should have done. But before he could fathom how to vocalize his thought, St. Hijiri beat him to it.

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru." Her voice was raspy but heavy with remorse as she angled her head to look at his burnt arm.

The end of his brows curved towards his eyes. Compared to the damage he had caused, her offense was almost non-existent. He would deal with the numbing flare in his arm any time over the mere thought of killing her. Although under a spell, it had been he who attacked her. All she did was defend herself from his onslaught. It did not make any sense for her to apologize first.

His teeth gritted together, frustrated that his tongue continued to struggle with the correct words. Why? Why did she have to say it first? Why did he let her say it first? Why was he still at a loss of what to say?

"Why?" he asked. The overflowing sensation that he could identify as guilt was acting like a dagger in his throat. Realizing his mistake, he forcefully elaborated, "Why? Why are you apologizing?"

"You were injured because of me." She managed her answer in between two coughs, as if that would explain everything.

"The reverse is also true." The moment that part of his confession left his lips, his guilt was able to suppress his intransigent pride. "You bear wounds due to my ineptitude. I gave you my word. You are under my supervision and I failed to uphold it."

"No, Tsubaki caught us both unaware. I failed to exercise more caution. You do not need to pertain yourself with my injury. I'm—" Any hope of trying to sound convincing disappeared when she was taken by a coughing fit. He could effortlessly envision the grimace on her features as she tried to ease her strained throat before amending her choice of tense. "I'm... I'll be fine. You did not—"

"Fine, you say? Hmph! So long as I breathe, you will never be fine!" Had he been in his demonic form, then the Inu Lord would have bristled at the witch. At this point, it was only Mt. Hakurei's barrier that was preventing him from reverting to his primal state and tearing her into pieces.

"Tsubaki," Hijiri called out hoarsely with exhaustion mixed with a hint of pity. "Do not bother. I will never hand you the Shikon Jewel and you are in no condition to fight."

With the damage she sustained, Tsubaki did not try getting up. Supporting her seated form with her palm, she sneered and jabbed her other hand at the duo. "Don't take me lightly. You do not know the full extent of what I can do. For the kuro miko Tsubaki, to curse someone is as simple as lifting up a finger."

A thick tendril of purple haze seeped out from her sleeve. Its shape contorted into the form of a vicious viper, lashing out with its poisonous fangs bared.

It was his instincts that had the Lord of the West take his position in front of the saint. Unimpressed by the shadow-like monstrosity that would have others trembling, he flourished his right arm in a downward arc. His energy whip sliced the apparition from head to tail in the same fashion of a sword.

The ethereal beast divided, catching even the guarded Sesshomaru by surprise as it gave birth to countless smaller wisps of snakes. They slithered through the air with ease towards the duo.

The daiyoukai's arm was a blurred image of white as green flashes danced in his vicinity. Countless white cursed serpents vaporized under his relentless defense.

Try as he might, the daiyoukai could not destroy them all. What he could do with one uninjured arm and restricted powers were limited. For as many that were struck down, just as many replaced their fallen comrades and slipped past him towards their intended target.

"Tell me, Sesshomaru. Have you someone to protect?" As if to goad his incompetence, his late father's words echoed inside his mind in the heat of the moment.

"The answer is no. I, Sesshomaru, have no need of such."

Once, the answer would have been a simple and certain denial. Currently, the desire to actually protect someone had been ignited.

Thump!

His left arm flared with the same indomitable rush of power that he had experienced when battling Utsugi.

'Bakusaiga… I see. So this is what you are telling me. Father, it seems I have discovered my reason to pursue such an endeavor.' In response to his heart's earnest call, the sword sealed inside him pulsated with a powerful source of energy that felt as deep as the ocean.

But before he could grasp onto that surge, he was distracted by a rippling force that reverberated in waves from behind him.

Having been provided adequate time to recover and retrieve her discarded bow, St. Hijiri infused her power into the weapon. The bowstring hummed with a mystic property. An invisible force thrust out, causing Sesshomaru's silver mane to flutter while drawing a kekkai around them.

There was a fluctuation in the air and all of the discarnate attackers were suspended in mid-attack as if time had stopped for them.

"Tsubaki, I've told you. A curse by the likes of you will not work on me." With that placid declaration and a flick of her wrist, the saint deflected all the curse-filled apparitions like one would bat away an annoying fly.

Countless white snakes were flung into the air. Many rained on the floor and were purified by the holy ground with a sizzle. Others absorbed the rebounded velocity and congregated into a single mass before shooting through the air. Like a comet, it sailed in an arc straight into Tsubaki's right eye and vanished into it.

"No!" The raven-haired woman covered her eye as she emitted a blood-curdling wail that resonated through the summit.

Sesshomaru might have taken a moment to inwardly sneer at the predicament that the witch had inflicted upon herself if not for noticing the saint moving away from his peripheral. Much to his incredulity, the woman had rushed to her feet and dived towards the rocky precipitate with reckless abandon.

One of the snakes managed to twist its body in midair and ram into the pink jewel that was sitting near the cliff. St. Hijiri's fingers were sprayed as they swiped air, missing the object of her desire by a mere whisker. The pink orb plummeted, along with the serpent coiled around it, mocking the saint for her efforts.

Sesshomaru stood stunned when St. Hijiri threw herself down the cliff without a second thought. Inconceivable! This sort of action was what he would expect from a maniac, not from the equanimous woman.

Something in his chest tightened and leaped straight into his throat. She was going to fall and he would not be able to catch her in time. Gripped by frantic distraught, he instinctively gathered all his youki for an impetuous push. Instead of finding himself leaping forward, he felt a strange sensation that jolted his body before he faded out of existence. The next thing he knew, he had reappeared right next to the saint. Sparing no time for bemusement, he wrapped his good arm around her waist, yanking her towards him until her back collided into his cuirass.

"What were you thinking?" he half-demanded, half-reprimanded, harshly.

"Heh… hahahaha!" There was the evil wheezing laughter that the daiyoukai was learning to despise. The obnoxious sound cut off any further admonishment he had on his tongue and prompted two heads back at the top of the cliff to concurrently whirl around.

"Impressive. You actually managed short-distance teleportation. It seems one can teach an old dog new tricks." Tsubaki leered at them from the slits of her fingers. "But that was a terrible mistake, dog. That stunt has cost both of you the chance to reclaim the jewel. It's gone now, lost in the water. You really shouldn't have gotten in the way of her duty. Who knows how many will suffer because of your interference?"

Despite her intention to hide them with her hand, Sesshomaru could still catch glimpses of the silvery scales that were etched onto the skin just under Tsubaki's eye. In addition to that blemish, her overall appearance was undergoing drastic changes. Her once flawless skin was stretching out and then folding on itself to draw deep ugly wrinkles. Simultaneously, her silk-like raven hair began to ashen, becoming wilted white lines.

Tsubaki had become a hideous mockery of the beautiful woman she once was. Yet, the malicious smile stayed on her horrible features. "I admit I lost this time. However, I will have the final laugh, Kiky— Ah, no. You prefer the name Saint Hijiri now, don't you? Well, mankind's saint and savior," she spat out those nouns like they were dirt, "you ought to hurry. It won't be long until the currents carry the jewel far from your reach. Once it leaves the sacred kekkai, who knows what will happen, especially with my curse in effect? You wouldn't want it to fall into the wrong hands now, would you?"

"Tsubaki, you…" St. Hijiri inhaled deeply and the daiyoukai could feel her body's discreet trembles as her diaphragm constricted. The tempest of fury he could sense from her was unprecedentedly violent. It was so ardent that had she been an Inu demon, then she would surely have vocalized her disdain by baring back her fangs in a threatening snarl.

Despite the phlegmatic façade plastered on his face, he was inwardly impressed that she had not lashed out. Instead, she was trying to regulate her sangfroid, knowing that anger would undoubtedly provide her nemesis satisfaction.

"Good," he whispered as gently as he could next to her ear. "Do not let fury inspire temerity. I have no desire to see you throw yourself off a cliff again."

"...I know." Eventually, enough composure had returned that her body stilled and she tilted her chin in a way that seemed to be a mirrored image of the daiyoukai, much to his mild exasperation. For a few seconds, she remained in that position, scrutinizing the kuro miko up and down like it was an unpleasant chore that must be done.

"I see. A rapid aging spell, a spiritual seal, and several mundane curses," she listed, her voice the epitome of phlegm. "A miserable attempt to satisfy your petty grudge. Your abysmal endeavors will be the final chapter of your abject tale. It won't be long now, Tsubaki."

Nearing the end of her transformation, Tsubaki was not coherent to fully comprehend her rival. Agony overtook her as parts of her skin peeled away to reveal the rotting flesh underneath. But amidst the insufferable torment, she continued to cackle like a madwoman and looked at the duo as if they were a pair of court jesters.

"Ah! AH! Hah! Fools! You fools! Do you think this is it? Mark my words! Know that you shall never find happiness together! Never! Your love will lead you to damnation!" She threw her head back and hoisted both hands, a theatrical motion to call forth some form of divine punishment from the heavens. "The prophecies that Midoriko-sensei adore so much. The curses that only I can utilize in full potency. They are all the same! Haha! Remember this, Hijiri! The Guardian's love shall sow chaos and the world will be ravaged! Realms will fall. Kings shall perish. And all will collide in the destruction! Tremble in fear and succumb to despair! Never forget this final curse that I, the kuro miko Tsubaki, have inflicted upon you and this horrendous world!"

With that, the dark miko drew her last breath. Her old body crumbled into dust and disintegrated, leaving behind her black garments.

'A kuro miko who specializes in curses succumbs to her own spells. A fitting end for a wretched being.' Pleased that the clown was finally gone, Sesshomaru withdrew his arm from Hijiri and took two steps back, offering her some personal space while simultaneously keeping her within reachable distance.

Hijiri did not seem mindful of him while she stood there, staring pensively at the deceased woman's garments.

'Hmph. It is, however, a lost opportunity to have her die directly by our hand.' This juncture's conclusion brought irony as he realized just how much of it was a foul reminiscence of his battle with Ryukotsusei. What followed was the notion to grant her some time alone. But that idea was kicked aside when he saw the blood on her neck.

His brows noticeably displayed his consternation for a few seconds before they returned to their normal resting position. Guilt tried to worm itself back to the surface but he halted it by dragging his concentration back to the present. Neither of them blamed the other for their respective injuries. There was no point in dwelling on something that had already been resolved. What took precedence was their return journey, which they would have to settle traveling on foot. Given his depleted state, he could not afford to carry her and fly. They would need to hurry if they hope to make it to the base before dark.

"Come, Hijiri." With a jerk of his head, he beckoned her to follow as he took his first step away from the cliff. "It's over. We shall have the time for deliberations later. Your foremost priority rests in treating that wound of yours."

Certainly, there was also his arm that had sustained impairment but he did not believe it warranted a mention. Once he was out of the sacred mountain's barrier, his youki would return at full force and accelerate the healing.

When the saint stayed where she was, bemusement spun his head around and he saw her left hand moving absentmindedly until her fingers could fist the fabric by her right shoulder. From what he could discern, she had no injuries there so it was baffling. Storing that piece of information for a later inquiry, he decided that snapping her out of her reverie was more imperative.

"Hijiri?" he called out.

"...Sesshomaru. There is a change in plans." Her body was tensed and her raspy voice sounded hollow – despondent even.

A foreign sensation morphed into cold tendrils that coiled around his spine. Whatever declaration she was going to make, he had an abstruse premonition that he was not going to like it.

"I cannot…" Uncharacteristically, the next words clogged in her throat, demanding her to take a deep breath and then exhale to unwind them. "I cannot accompany you to the west."

Her announcement was the sledgehammer that smote his brain mercilessly. The effect was instantaneous as his eyebrows knitting and his lips twisting upside down. Despite never explicitly confirming it, it had been implied that she was willing to return with him. For as self-refined the saint was, she was not afraid to vocalize her thoughts. If she did not like his idea, then she would have made it known with clarity.

Something must have changed her mind. Given the short timeframe between their reunion and the battle, there was only one potential cause. "Irrational fear is unbecoming of you. Be not a fool and heed her drivel. She has no sway over the future, least of all our destiny."

"No. Tsubaki's curse does not concern me," she replied, ostensibly half-distracted with her ongoing reflections. It was getting on Sesshomaru's nerves that she still refused to meet his gaze, almost as if she was terrified of his reaction. Of all individuals in the world, she had become the last one he wanted to instill such a sensation upon.

Feigning indifference, he said, "Then let us leave. We are wasting time. You will receive treatment, locate your lost item, and we shall return to the west together."

She shook her head and just like that, she was the embodiment of obstinate. "I'm afraid this is where we must part ways."

"You are being nonsensical," he scoffed.

"...You do not understand," she refuted.

With his stubbornness being triggered by her cryptic conduct, his brows were pulled together so tightly that their edges nearly touched. Marching over to her with steps that pronounced his urgency, he grabbed her shoulder and whipped her around until they were face-to-face. "You offer little explanation, yet dare to demand my acceptance?"

"With the alliance nullified, the east is no longer safe. So I must stay. Here, in the east, where I am needed." She quickly angled her head so that she would gaze directly at the spot beside his boots. Her refusal to meet his eyes – even if he could not see hers regardless – strung and forced a deep breath out of his nostrils.

"Why do you feel obligated to stay? You were content with my decision to have you in the west. Your change in attitude is perplexing and is a test to my forbearance." It was only because of his excellent self-control that he managed to suppress the flood of bitter confusion into a mere growl. Weakened from being continuously drained as he was, he found his patience being worn extremely thin.

"I was naïve to believe we could remain as we are. Tsubaki is – was – a deceitful woman but she was not wrong when she told you to let me go. I am the guardian of an ancient relic and therefore have a duty I must abide by. I cannot relinquish it for a place in the west. I need to stay in the east, to protect its people and keep the accursed item concealed until it evanesces," she swallowed without flinching, an impressive feat considering the bruises forming on her neck. "Please understand. I am someone who is bound, and therefore must place duty first and foremost, before everything else. That is how I was taught."

"No. I hear no reason, only an excuse manifested by your cowardice." His fingers compressed her shoulder unknowingly and it was only when she tensed her muscles did he let go and return his limb to his side. "You speak as if you were born for a purpose not of your design. You are no slave to destiny. Staying cannot be your true desire. What is it that you seek, woman? Answer me."

"This has nothing to do with desires," she insisted, shaking her head.

"Everything has to do with desires," he growled, "And ours align. You seek peace. I intend to have you by my side. They are not irreconcilable. Cease hiding behind your talk of duty and follow your desire. Come with me."

"You are being exceedingly arrogant. Do not assume for the both of us. Leave me be. I have my duty and you have yours as the Lord of the West. We transverse two different paths and that is why I… I cannot accept your invitation, Sesshomaru. We are a world apart from each other." As if to prove her point, she shuffled backward until the back of her flat wooden heels touched the edge of the cliff.

There was a dangerous tumult as some dirt and pebbles loosened and toppled off their foundation.

"You are being unprecedentedly irrational." His voice was a low chilling rumble before he could compress his fury. "You are spewing out nonsense again. There is no void that I, Sesshomaru, cannot cross."

"…You do not understand. I can't. I must stay."

With growing pique, he noted that she was starting to repeat herself. But what was more frustrating was that she had hoisted her bow in level to her chest in a defensive manner. Seeing that fueled his repressed rage and finally shattered his last strand of patience. The floodgates to the boiling emotion collapsed and he snarled at her. "Listen to me, woman. You will come with me. That's an order."

"…" The threatening tone might have rendered her speechless but it also triggered an intrinsic response. Her hand shot back and touched an arrow from her quiver. Whereas his youki was being restrained, she found no problem in letting the fire of insubordination burst from her aura. "You hold no authority over me, Sesshomaru. I am free to do as I please. I will leave, alone, and you will not stop me."

His pride took a hard blow, stimulating him to lift his arm and flex his claw to highlight his seriousness. "Hmph. Do not underestimate me. Or you will find my aggression to be very persuasive."

In return, she loaded her bow and responded with an equally hard edge to her voice. "It seems today I will have the answer to a question I have once contemplated. Are you, Sesshomaru, capable of outpacing my arrow?"

"We shall see," he replied coldly, aware that the conversation was being steered in a direction that he understood best. Briefly ripping his gaze off her, he calculated the distance between them. Two measly steps – that was an overwhelming advantage he had against an archer whose loaded bow was not aimed at him yet. Since communicating with her did not achieve the results he wanted, he would knock some sense back into her and carry her back to the west.

"Indeed. Allow us to resolve this in a manner that befits you. In your world, only the strong reserves the right to mate. The male fights to procure the female. The principle is the same for animals and demons. Only humans squander time by falling in love," she paused momentarily. While she had not let any emotion slip past, he was taken by the random impression that she was ridiculing something or someone. He did not dwell on it as she continued, "We shall keep the rule simple: defeat me and you will assure the right to court me as you wish. However, if I emerge victorious, you will leave me as I request. On a count of three then."

"One." Their voices rang out at the same time; neither necessarily louder than they needed to be but filled to the brim with their determination to win.

"Two." Sesshomaru bent his knees and pressed his feet against the ground. Simultaneously, he heard the sound of a bowstring being pulled back.

"Thr—!"

All of the sudden, a loud noise rumbled as the mountain stirred in anger. Sesshomaru felt the rocks underneath his feet wobble from the aftermath of their battle against Tsubaki. A cold prickling alarm screeched inside him, not for himself but for the woman who was not gifted with the ability of flight. Just before his footing collapsed, he leaped forward, intending to grab onto the saint who was stumbling to maintain her balance.

He stretched his arm out, waiting for her fingers to intertwine with his so that he could draw her into a secured embrace.

His eyes widened with shock when something struck his chest, hard.

The momentum shoved his body backward, far away from the crumbling platform and from her. He felt his armor slam into the hard bark of the tree that had been his hiding spot before he—

Nothing. All of his thoughts were cut off until nothing but blackness remained.

So scattered and layered with disorientation was his brain that it took an indefinite amount of time for him to re-coordinate himself. He knew he was upright but he felt disconnected from his body. A nagging notion alerted him that his consciousness must have fled him at some point. Lost as to how long he was oblivious, he attempted to peel open his eyelids to examine his surroundings. Yet, the mere mental command caused overwhelming exhaustion to descend. He had never known fatigue could run this deep, tempting him to fall into an eternal slumber. Much to his chagrin, his body had every intention of compelling.

His unsettled sleep was broken by a strange humming in his chest, letting him know that it was time to rise.

His golden orbs opened and he blinked when the reddish light of dusk hit his irises. It came to him in a slow realization that there was no one else in his vicinity. His warrior senses eased knowing that there was no threat. All the while, his heart rattled inside his ribcage restlessly, warning his sluggish brain that something was dreadfully wrong.

But what? No one was here to pose him a—

'Where is the woman?' His eyes darted to where a giant fissure segregated the mountain into equal halves. A portion of rock had crumbled and his memory of what he had seen returned at full force.

His claw had scratched air because she had not reached out in return. Instead, she had shot at him. That foolish woman had launched him far away from the site of collapse before falling into the waters below.

Perchance it was the shock or the earlier mental stress but he found his head working in inexplicable ways. Of all things, his first notion was that the incident felt like a cruel re-enactment of what had happened to the jewel. Whereas she had failed to secure her precious artifact, he had failed to prevent her fall.

His next thought was that there was a tremendous drop from the summit to the bottom. At this height, the water would do nothing to soften the landing and the fall was enough to kill a human.

His back jerked, trying to straighten as he pushed himself away from the tree but to no avail.

Picking up the distinctive humming that had been present since his awakening, he traced the source to his chest. Lodged just below his heart to keep him pinned to the tree was an arrow that shimmered with a faint purple glow. By some unknown magical properties, the shaft managed to render him immobile without shattering his cuirass or injuring him. He suspected that was the saint's intent. Despite being the one to issue the challenge, she had this as a backup plan – or was it the original plan? – to buy her the time needed to dodge his radar. Once that objective had been completed, the arrow was set to release him from his induced sleep.

Letting his anger fuel his youki, which caused the pebbles around him to tremble, he ignored the tingling blue sparks around him and summoned enough power to pull the arrow out. It came out with little resistance and he was free to tramp over to the broken escarpment.

The sight that greeted him below was the rushing water half-concealed in mist. He saw no silhouette of a human.

There was the insane and spontaneous conception, spurred by pride, to jump down and locate her. Being in a constant state of motion to do as he pleased had always been his code of conduct. Yet, his body was weighed down and trapped by his mental anguish.

He did not move. He could not move.

All he felt was the cold and the hollowness. There was also pain… immeasurable amounts of pain that twisted and squeezed his insides.

How could her abandonment cause him such agony?

How could he be feeling so cold when his blood was erupting with rage?

'How is this possible?' Whereas his heart pounded in great affliction from her betrayal, his brain roared in outrage. 'How dare she abandon everything for a nonsensical motivation?!'

Fury thwarted the ice in his interior and melted the coldness. His usual mask of stoicism shattered to showcase the feral pupils, jagged red stripes across his cheeks, gleaming razor-sharp teeth, and a sheen of crimson that covered his white irises. There was a robust urge to reduce the holy mountain into shambles by manifesting his true form. He would have done it already, if not for the tiny blue sparks that continued to collide with his reddish aura, persistently keeping him in his humanoid state.

Lifting his arm, he turned his murderous, and wounded gaze to regard the arrow in his hand. The collapse of the cliff might have been unintentional but her objective was clear.

As he glared, he noticed that the low droning sound had faded away without a trace. Nevertheless, the arrow's existence was no less mocking. For some reason, he could almost imagine her gritting voice ringing in his ears, her tone dripping with condescension as she twisted his words back at him.

"Do not let fury inspire stupidity. I have no desire to see you throw yourself off a cliff to find me. If the power in this arrow alone managed to immobilize you, then what chance do you stand against the holy water from a mountain that could render you helpless?" The conjunction was filled with ample confidence reserved for the strong— those who were under no illusion of their strength.

"You hold no authority over me, Sesshomaru. I am free to do as I please. I will leave, alone, and you will not stop me."

"It seems today I will have the answer to a question I have once contemplated. Are you capable of outpacing my arrow?"

All those remarks served to point towards one proclamation— weak. She was indirectly telling him that he, Sesshomaru, was weak. Although his pride hollered at the insult, the logical side of him had to begrudgingly admit that what had happened on the summit was the result of his incompetence.

The bone-chilling hollowness returned. It was a seeping coldness akin to being soaked to the bones because a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him.

He was weak. It was his weakness that made him succumb to the effects of Mt. Hakurei's barrier. As loathsome as it was to admit it, there existed a part of him that objected to any rashness. Had he been at full strength, then perhaps self-preservation would not have been triggered and he would have followed her.

He was weak. It was his weakness that made him Tsubaki's puppet. In retrospect, his strength of mind would not have mattered if he simply possessed enough prowess to defy the dark miko. His burnt hand, a wound caused by said weakness, went to touch the accessory still on his neck. Much like the arrow, it was a mark of shame that illustrated how pathetic he truly was.

He was weak. It was his weakness that nearly killed Hijiri — was she even alive now? He was the one who injured her when he had promised protection. And he had been feeble enough that she had managed to inflict damage in return.

He was weak. It was his weakness that let Hijiri, the woman that he lo— desire – slipped out of his grasp. If only, if only he was stronger, then he would have been able to secure her, knock her unconscious, wrap her up in his mokomoko, and take her back to the west before that part of the mountain collapsed. If only he was stronger, then a mere arrow would not have kept him dangling helplessly on a tree.

His reflections left him drowning in his weakness. To save himself from suffocation, he mentally tossed away the heart that was encased in misery to lighten the load. As his mind resurfaced from the sea of memories, he found every fiber in him screaming in frustration and crying out the desire to become more powerful.

'Power. Yes, I must acquire more power.' His still-crimson eyes blazed with a desperate passion. He would become stronger. He must become stronger! He was naïve to believe that his current strength was significant. Surpassing his father would only be the first step to proving his superiority. Walking on the path of conquest would only reinforce his might. What he needed to do was venture on a quest of carnage. He had to be the one to reach a height that no mortal and immortal had achieved before. For only when he obtained the power to surmount all – be it destiny, youkai, devils, gods, cursing witches, and a stubborn willful saint – would he never again have to endure the humiliation and ineptitude. If he could bend the world to his desire, then nothing could criticize or ridicule said desire.

From the ancient legends that his father had briefly told him when he was a pup, he was aware that the True Ruler of the Great Continent was the title bestowed upon the one who controlled unparalleled power to rule over all else, using the renowned Three Swords of the Honorable Ruler.

Tenseiga, the sword of heaven, was known to be able to manipulate the natural law that governed life and death.

Tessaiga, the sword of destruction, was revered to be able to slaughter one hundred youkai with one swing.

So'unga, the sword of hell, was feared as a catastrophic weapon that could bring about the end of the world.

Having two of the three fangs at his disposal left him with the assertive that the title was his to claim, along with the power that came with it. All he needed was Tessaiga to join his collection. In a world without his father or the saint, he had one thing left that stimulated him. The prophecy would be fulfilled and he would ensure that he would be the one to do so. He would show them. He would show them all that he was not one to be trifled with. Never again.

With the sun setting before him to dye his background in crimson, the supreme daiyoukai sorted everything that was going on inside his head before sparing one last look at the river below. Then without a word, he dropped the arrow in his hand into the water and spun on his heels. His return would be a path he walked alone, with the red rays morphing his elongated shadow into an eerie dark mass.

Time was slipping through the cracks of his fingers, much like the sand in an hourglass. But instead of being conscious of it, Sesshomaru focused on becoming more powerful. Thus, centuries passed without him bothering to keep track of it. The last time that he had been made aware of it was when he had reencountered Rin approximately two decades after their parting.

It was supposed to be a quick trip to check on Inuyasha, who was living with his bedridden mother, but he found himself stopping in his tracks when he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Landing at the edge of a field that was rich with harvest, he saw a young woman with two children. The somewhat unruly long hair and the side ponytail stirred unwanted memories and before he could erase the weakness, it had brought him over to the young mother.

"Sesshomaru-onii-san! It's you..." The woman was gaping in disbelief, with tears of happiness trailing down her cheeks.

"Rin. Do you know where Hijiri cowers?" His traitorous tongue had let the inquiry that nearly made him scorn slipped out of his lips.

Rin had shaken her head and he immediately discerned the dejection filling her brown orbs. Years as an adult had not taught her to conceal her feelings; she was as easy to read as when she had been a child. "She came to us once, two days after we parted. She stayed for months, treating any injured and sick villagers and nursing a terribly wounded bandit. But then one day, she left without a word… I never found out why but I sensed something was wrong with her."

"What do you mean?" That had also been unintended but it was too late – not to mention, too disgraceful – to pretend that he had not said it.

"She… When she came to us, she was covered in wounds and I… I think she must have hit her head because… her memories would sometimes become disorientated. There were times when she would look at me like I was a stranger and ask how we met. And whenever I mentioned you, Sesshomaru-onii-san, she would clench her head in pain and tell me that she does not know who I am talking about."

'So she acts as if I am her source of distress.' While he was certain that Rin had gone on to bauble more, he found no reason to register anything else. If that was the woman's attitude towards him, then he supposed he should respond in kind.

Besides, she was just a weakness that would get in the way of his quest for power.

Thus, Sesshomaru acquired more power and became stronger than anyone could ever hope to be. Even Hibiki commented that he was showing far greater potential for power than the Inu no Taisho had when he was his age.

As Sesshomaru advanced, the reason for his obsession for strength became irrelevant.

Standing on top of the precipice that had been the site of his inspiration centuries ago, he took a moment to relish the fact that the sacred mountain could no longer halt him and even submerging in its holy water would only cause minor burns on his skin.

'Once, this mountain embodied my shame. Now, it is no more than an obsolete measure of the strength I gained. My path is that of conquest. I seek nothing more than the power that can be brought from battling the strongest. It is power that shall reveal my path of desire. That is the purpose my power serves. I shall obtain the glory that Father could not in his life, surpass him, and become the uncontested strongest in this world. Yes, that is it. That is what I seek and what ought to be mine.'

Self-inspiring as his monologue was, there was a soft protest that came from deep within him. It cried out, imploring him to see the true purpose, that there was a more meaningful reason for accumulating power.

He simply chose to ignore it.

For the centuries to come, Bakusaiga was unresponsive while he actively brandished So'unga.

More Author's Notes: Below are some trivia that I believe would interest some of you.

-About the dialogues: Some parts of the exchange between SessKik can be found in the beginning of chapter 10. You may notice that the conversation in the flashback is shorter and vaguer. To be honest, that's because it was written long ago and I've decided to make some changes to amplify the tone. In terms of explaining that in the story, I think it's appropriate given that there's bound to be some discrepancies after centuries. Let's just say that Sesshomaru's brain isn't a perfect recorder, lol!

-About the Beads of Subjugation: Kikyo disabled the rosary by overloading it with her spiritual powers. Considering the earlier chapters (aka. the present time), there's a sense of twisted irony here with how Sesshomaru employed it. He altered its design so that it could be used to enslave Tsubaki's kind instead, which includes Kikyo, and added an extra function. Taking Mt. Hakurei and Kikyo's method for inspirations, he made the rosary suppress the wearer by constantly feeding on their spiritual powers. And whenever the wearer tried to call forth power forcefully, it was set to discharge that stored energy. So what happened each time to Kikyo was that she would be overloaded with a surplus of power, resulting in a lot of stress to her body. (Ouch, talk about cold vengeance, Sesshomaru).

-About the Arrow of Sealing: In the actual series, the seal was said to be unbreakable unless the one who shot it wished for it. Here, it worked pretty much the same way except Kikyo mentally undid the seal by setting a time limit on it. Personally, I'm not too sure if it's too farfetched or not but the underlying principle remains unchanged; Kikyo wished for the seal to be undone so it did.

-About the Arrow of Sealing and Sesshomaru: We all know that our favorite daiyoukai hates being deceived and the idea of falling for the same trap twice is unthinkable, right? After this event, Sesshomaru developed an inclination of either snapping or catching arrows rather than dodging them, which you may have noticed when you compare his moves in this arc to the other two arcs. Yes, it's also him showing off his power but ultimately, there's just this urge to destroy the projectiles and remove the possibility of being rendered immobile ever again. His caution for these arrows is also the reason why Kikyo's many attempts to assassinate him, mentioned in chapter 9, failed.

-About Sesshomaru's motive: A reader, Meech Macko, once made a good point that Sesshomaru's desire for power bordered insane obsession. In particular, the original show painted him as a prideful individual who seeks to surpass his father and walk the path of conquest. Here, I've decided to intertwine that core part of him with Kikyo's departure, to give him the extra motive for power as well as a valid reason for obtaining all three swords.

-About Kikyo's age: This one is for sastra, who in one of the many thoughtful reviews, tried to deduce Kikyo's age during the kako-hen based on her mannerism and behavior. Back then, I did not give an answer because I hadn't give it much of a thought. But now, I can say this much – Tsubaki is in her mid-to-early-twenties before she had her spells rebound and aged her. We've established that the kuro miko is only slightly older than Kikyo, which puts our number one miko at around her early-twenties even if her body is permanently stuck at eighteen.

-About Tsubaki's curse: Yes, before her demise, we see that she made one last attempt to torment Kikyo by directly placing a curse on her and also leaving one on the Shikon Jewel. Tsubaki may be dead now but she has left behind a large mess that involves the Shikon Jewel, Kikyo, Sesshomaru, and… some others.

And that's all for now! Phew! At last, the kako-hen arc is completed. Looking back, we have spent looking at the past through Sesshomaru's eyes since chapter 23. Up next right off the bat is Kikyo's POV as we delve into scenes that weren't shown in Sesshy's recollections. Usually, I would leave on a small break for each arc but the next chapter can be treated as an interlude, I'll continue the update as scheduled. Then right after that will be Sesshomaru and Kikyo's long-awaited 'conversation' in the present.

On a side note just so everyone knows, the long-awaited fic Sesshomaru 'The Path to Destiny' by Pure Power is back with two new chapters recently! As a SessKik fan, if you're not already aware of this incredible fic, I would recommend you jumping right in. While I do believe that Kikyo seems slightly out of character in the beginning, there is a reason for it and her personality does returns to being what we expect. In short, the plot and character developments are remarkable! It's a must-read!

Until next time!